Rei no Himitsu (Rei's Secret)
by Laney 916
Summary: Rei finds a baby on the shrine steps and a secret she's been trying to keep starts to unravel. The first of a three or four part series. Takes place two years after the Special Act. Rei/Minako, some Usagi/Mamoru, Makoto/Motoki, and Ami/Nephrite.
1. Chapter 1

_I don't usually write shoujo-ai or anything like that, but I couldn't resist this. I love Rei and Minako's relationship in PGSM. Their chemistry is beautiful. Special thanks to my best friend/twin Krystle for inspiring me to keep writing and to Shinata-Riyoko for beta-ing for me._

_Warnings: Offensive language , mild violence, and some sexual content, but nothing too explicit, mostly kissing and suggestive talk. Characters may also seem OOC sometimes, but hopefully not too much._

* * *

Summary: Rei finds a baby on the shrine steps and a secret she's been trying to keep starts to unravel. The first of a three or four part series. Takes place two years after the Special Act. Rei/Minako, some Usagi/Mamoru, Makoto/Motoki, and Ami/Nephrite.

* * *

**Rei no Himitsu (Rei's Secret)**

* * *

Chapter 1

Hino Rei came home to Hikawa Shrine after a long day of shopping with Usagi and flipped on the lights. She hadn't wanted to go, as shopping really wasn't her thing, but her very excited friend wanted to buy Minako's newest CD and continued to beg until she finally gave in.

The two of them had gone to a bunch of different shops, and then to the music store so Usagi could buy the CD, though Rei didn't buy anything, preferring not to spend too much money unnecessarily. Usagi's bubbly, energetic personality annoyed her at times, but Rei had to admit that sometimes she found it cute.

"I'm home, Mama." the miko greeted as she walked into her room and glanced at the photograph on her nightstand. Rei, who was five years old then, was sitting on a swing at the playground and her mother stood behind her. Both were smiling and looked like they were enjoying themselves. Her father stood off to the side with a serious expression on his face.

She set the photograph back down and went to perform her nightly fire reading ritual.

As she was about to sit down, a blinding white light flashed seemingly out of nowhere. Rei blinked a few times until her sight returned to normal.

'What was that?' she wondered and went to investigate. She figured out where the light was coming from and when she got there, the light vanished. There, on the top step of the shrine, lay a wicker basket and in it was something wrapped in a yellow wool blanket. 'Huh? What's this doing here?'

"Hello, where did you come from?" She said as she picked the bundle up. A loud crying sound filled her ears as she pulled back the blanket and she gasped in surprise when she saw what it was. 'A baby?'

The baby appeared to be roughly five or six months old and from what Rei could see, he was dressed in what looked like a light blue romper or footed pajamas with rabbit ears attached to the hood. No note was to be found and there was no other way to identify him or his parents. She wondered what he was doing all alone, especially in such cold weather. It was early December and only twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Rei shivered as a strong gust of wind blew around them and wrapped her jacket around both of them.

"Come on, little one. Let's go inside before you freeze." The baby wailed loudly and Rei winced as she carried him in. 'Damn, this kid is louder than Usagi. My ears are going to fall off.'

She took the baby into the kitchen and rummaged through the fridge for something to feed it. To her dismay, she didn't have anything a child this small could eat, but she thought for a moment and saw a large bowl of bananas on the counter. 'This will have to do.'

She pulled two bananas from the bunch and mashed them in a small bowl; then she attempted to give a spoonful to the baby. The baby eyed the goop, and after he took a taste, cooed for more. Rei gladly obliged and when he had finished eating, she washed the bowl and went to change him.

The front of his outfit was splattered with some of the food he had spit out and she decided to give him a bath, when she realized something.

"Oh crap! No diapers." She mumbled under her breath and searched through the linen closet to find something she could use as makeshift diapers until morning. She found a few pieces of cloth, some medical tape, and sanitary pads to keep the diapers from leaking. She also got some blankets to wrap him with until she could wash his clothes.

After she had filled the sink with warm water and bathed the baby, she put a diaper on him and wrapped one of the blankets around him. The baby grew fussy again and Rei tried frantically to calm him down, but he continued to scream and cry.

"What's your problem now, kid?" She asked and he screamed in response. She had just fed and changed him, so she knew that wasn't it. 'Maybe he's sick.' She put a hand up to his head, and noted that he felt cool and he wasn't coughing or showing any signs of illness, so it wasn't that either. She contemplated calling Ami for advice, but she was working at the hospital tonight and was most likely very busy, so she didn't want to disturb her.

"Please stop crying." She whispered to him. "It's okay." She was at her wit's end, doing whatever she could think of to calm him down, but nothing was working and she was getting overwhelmed and felt like crying herself. She had to think of a new plan and she had to do it quickly. She carried him to her room, sat down with him on her futon, and gently patted his back as she sang softly.

"Hinyari hanabira o nigirishimeteru

Eien ga tsuzuku you na kumo no kire ma

mieta kigashita no

Futatsu no yume fureru yubisaki

namida mau haru no hi

riyuu nanka mitsukaranai

sugu tachi domaru

tsuyoku nareru no?

Itsuka wa

Zutto sagasu shiroi tenshi no sugata

kitto futte kuru

atarashii watashi kureru hane

Kazahana tsuretette maboroshi no EDEN made

koko de nara sukoshi dake wa

sunao ni nareru kamo ne

Kamisama nante inai

Dakedo dareka shinjitai

ima wa mada otona ni naritakunai

Sakura fubuki hisoka ni."

She glanced down at him and smiled as she put him in the basket. Her song had soothed him and he had fallen asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief and went back to do her fire reading.

* * *

_This chapter is a bit shorter than normal, but I hope you like it anyway. I'll try to make the other chapters longer. The song Rei sings here is 'Sakura Fubuki' or 'Cherry Blossom Snowstorm/Blizzard', the same one she sang in Act 23 and in Kirari! Super Live._


	2. Chapter 2

**Rei no Himitsu**

* * *

Chapter 2

Rei stepped out of the supermarket with the baby secured comfortably in a baby sling and began walking toward Crown Karaoke Center. She carried a brand new diaper bag, which was almost overflowing with the items she had just bought for the baby, as well as several reusable grocery bags, and was approximately four blocks away from her destination when she saw a black limousine pull up along the curb.

"Rei!" She heard a man's voice call to her. She immediately recognized the voice and her eyes widened in shock.

"Papa, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"What, can't I stop just to say hi...and since when did you have a kid?" Rei stared at him in disbelief. Hino Takashi never just stopped on the street just to say 'hello' to her or ask about her personal life. There had to be a reason, and she knew he only wanted to see her to make himself look good for the Media.

"He isn't mine. I'm just babysitting." She told him. This was partially the truth, but she couldn't just tell him that the baby appeared out of nowhere.

"I see." Then, changing the subject, he asked her, "Why don't you join me for breakfast? You're looking a bit thin lately."

'Since when do you care about my health, Papa?' She thought as she glared at him. "Sorry, I'm in a hurry. I have some place I have to be right now." She replied, trying her best to sound as polite as possible. Her relationship with him was still shaky even though he did try to be part of her life more often in the six years since that day they talked at her mother's grave.

"Please, Rei?" Rei sighed. He didn't take 'no' for an answer, did he? Her stomach rumbled in protest, and reluctantly, she agreed and got into the vehicle.

The limo driver drove them to an American-style café around the corner and Rei, her father, and the baby went into the restaurant.

A waitress greeted them and escorted them to their table, and handed them the menus.

"What can I get for you?"

"I'll have a sausage, egg, and cheese bagel and a green tea, please." Rei ordered politely, and asked for some water, so she could make a bottle of formula for the baby.

"Sure, and for you, Sir?" the waitress asked as she wrote something down on a small tablet.

"I'll have pancakes with bacon, sausage, fried potatoes, and a coffee."

The meal was mostly quiet, save for the baby's occasional fussing and Takashi telling Rei about one of the young men at his office liking her and wanting to get a date with her, which in turn caused her to groan with disgust and smack her forehead lightly. She was thankful that her old man didn't try to fix her up with that person, or anyone for that matter.

Rei didn't eat much of her sandwich, but she requested a small box for it so she could finish it later and sipped her tea. The baby devoured his formula and a jar of baby food and she had to take the empty bottle from his mouth just to get him to let go. Then she cleaned him up and excused herself from the table.

"I have to go now, Papa. Thanks for the meal."

"No problem. We'll meet again soon."

"Sure." She adjusted the baby in his sling and picked up her bags, then she made her way to Crown.

"Check, please!" the Senator shouted.

"Right away, Sir." the waitress answered and retrieved the bill, setting it in front of him. He paid it and went back to his office.

* * *

"Rei-chan is late, isn't she?" Tsukino Usagi asked in a worried voice and Mizuno Ami looked over at her. She, too, was worried since Rei was almost always on time for their meetings, but she didn't let on.

"Yeah, she is, but she probably has a good reason for it."

As if on cue, Rei arrived and took her seat.

"Hey, sorry I'm late."

"Don't worry about it." Kino Makoto, or now Furuhata Makoto, as she was now married to Furuhata Motoki, responded with a warm smile.

"So, what took you so long, Reiko, and who's the kid?" Aino Minako questioned. Rei couldn't help but cringe at the nickname.

"I ran into my father, and to answer your other question, I don't know. I found him outside the temple. It's like he appeared out of nowhere." she explained.

"Can I hold him, Rei-chan? Please!" Usagi asked excitedly, reaching her arms out to play with the baby. Rei smiled absently at her and took him out of the sling and handed him to her.

"There you go."

"Thanks." Usagi accepted the baby and he giggled and squealed with delight as he reached up and tried to grab her pigtails. "Awww, he's so cute! Hello, Akira-chan."

"Usagi! He isn't a stray dog or cat. You can't just name him." Rei scolded her, a little harsher than she intended to.

Usagi looked at her sadly and the miko's eyes softened as she mouthed a 'sorry'. Usagi was right. She couldn't keep referring to him as 'the baby' all the time. He needed a name and she thought 'Akira' fit him perfectly.

The senshi discussed ideas of where Akira came from and why he was left at Hikawa Shrine, of all places. People didn't just leave babies outside, unless they intended to abandon them or they couldn't care for them and panicked and didn't know what to do, but when Rei described the flash of light she saw just before she found him, the girls agreed that this was no ordinary child, though they still struggled to make sense out of it.

As the conversation continued, Minako glanced over at Rei, who seemed to be zoning out, as if she had grown disinterested in what everyone was saying. Akira was sitting on Makoto's lap, playing with the wedding ring on her left hand. Makoto and Motoki had married almost a year and a half earlier and were enjoying their new life together.

"Rei?" Minako called, waving a hand in front of Rei's face to get her attention.

"Yeah?" Rei mumbled.

"Are you okay? You've been more quiet than usual." Rei smiled weakly at the idol's concern toward her.

"I'm just tired, Minako. I didn't get very much sleep last night." she told her, gathering her bags and walking toward the stairs. "I think I'm gonna go home and lie down." Minako didn't completely believe her, but for now she thought it was best to drop it.

"Okay." she simply said. Rei picked up Akira, and Minako stared with a concerned expression in her eyes as they took their leave.

* * *

Later, Rei lay on her futon after putting Akira down for a nap, and was attempting to get some rest herself. Thoughts raced through her mind, however, and she found it impossible to sleep. She got up and decided to make a cup of chamomile tea, hoping it would ease the tension. As she walked into the kitchen and filled the kettle with water, she noticed someone standing in the doorway.

"Minako, w...what are you doing here?" She wondered, nearly dropping the kettle on her feet. She invited her in and offered her a cup of tea. Minako accepted and sat at the kotatsu as Rei poured the steaming hot liquid into the cups and let the tea leaves steep.

"Artemis and I came by to check on you. You didn't look well when you left Crown." Minako replied, letting the white plush cat jump out of her arms.

"I'm fine. Like I said, I'm just tired."

"It's more than that, Reiko! You've been acting very strangely for a while now. You barely eat or sleep, and lately you seem more...what's that word I'm looking for...distant. Yeah, that's it."

"I told you, I'm fine."

"No, you're not! I observed you with Akira-chan. The way you looked at him and held him, it looked like you're trying to distance yourself from him." Minako confronted and she picked up her cup and took a sip.

"I wasn't." Rei defended.

"You were too. Damn! Why are you being so stubborn?" The idol expected that her best friend would be stubborn, but this was too much, even from her. Artemis narrowed his eyes at the two girls as he watched from his perch on top of the counter. Minako huffed and Rei shot her a dirty glare.

"Please leave!" The miko ordered, pointing an index finger toward the exit.

"Fine!" Minako scooped up Artemis and just before they stepped outside, she turned around with an angry, tearful look in her eyes. "Don't think I'm gonna let this go. I will not give up on you so easily!"

They left and Rei sat there as Minako's words echoed in her head. She cursed herself for being so rude. She knew that the idol meant well, and she also knew she should be able to trust her, or Usagi, or even Ami or Makoto, but she still had great difficulty when it came to certain things. She desperately wanted to tell them, but she wasn't ready to confide just yet.

* * *

Meanwhile, Minako walked back to her hotel room, thinking about the argument. She sighed with disappointment.

"Oh Artemis, what should I do? I wish Mars would let me in, but she keeps shutting down whenever I try to help. It's like she still doesn't trust me." She said, dejectedly.

"Minako," Artemis spoke. "It's not that she doesn't trust you. I think that what's going on with her might be something she's still trying to come to terms with herself right now. The best thing you can do is be supportive of her and be there when she is ready for you to listen."

"Thanks. I guess you're right."

* * *

_Thanks for reading! :) _

_A kotatsu is a low table frame with a built in heater, usually electric, that the table sits on and is covered with a blanket. Most Japanese houses don't have much insulation, if any, and central heating is expensive, so people often gather around the kotatsu to stay warm in the winter and they use it to eat, socialize, or watch TV, or do whatever it is they're doing._


	3. Chapter 3

**Rei no Himitsu**

* * *

Chapter 3

It had been nearly a week since Akira was discovered. Usagi lay in bed as the sunlight shone through the window. Beside her was her husband Chiba Mamoru. The couple panted heavily, their bodies covered in sweat from yet another early morning lovemaking session.

"Ma...moru..." She breathed out slowly.

"Hmm? What is it?" he wondered as they tried to catch their breaths.

"I've been thinking...Seeing Rei-chan taking care of Akira-chan has made me feel more strongly about us and children."

"What...are you...getting at?"

"Man! You're so dense sometimes!" Her tone wasn't harsh, as she lacked the conviction, but he laughed as she pouted slightly. She punched him in the arm playfully and continued. "I want a baby. Our baby."

"Are you sure? We've only been married for two years. I don't want you to feel like you rushed into this."

"Yes, I am. I want this more than anything. What about you?"

"Me too." He leaned toward her and pressed his lips against her neck in a passionate kiss. A soft moan escaped her lips as she felt her skin tingle. She returned the kiss and they continued to make love until they were interrupted by the sound of a ringing cell phone.

"Ah, excuse me!" Usagi apologized as she reached over her husband and grabbed her phone off the nightstand.

"It's fine." Mamoru replied.

"Hello?" he heard her say as she answered the phone. "Rei-chan!"

"Usagi, sorry for calling this early, but I...need...a favor." Rei answered, feeling a little embarrassed about asking for help.

"Sure, what do you need?"

"I have a lot of work to do at the shrine, and I need someone to help look after Akira-chan. Are you available?"

"Yes, I am. What time?"

"Around eight." Usagi glanced at the alarm clock, which read 'six fifty-four'.

"Okay, I'll be there in thirty minutes."

"See you then." After Rei hung up, Usagi got out of bed and walked to her dresser, she pulled out a pink hooded sweatshirt with a picture of a rabbit on it and dark blue jeans.

She explained the situation to Mamoru, to which he simply nodded, and she went to take a quick shower, then the couple got on Mamoru's motorcycle and drove to the shrine.

* * *

Ami walked out the doors of the hospital after work and stretched her arms up as she breathed in the winter air. She was thankful she had the next two days off after working ten days straight, because as much as she enjoyed her job, she often missed having free time.

She walked past a row of small businesses and toward her apartment, but a familiar face caught her eyes as they passed each other and she stopped as she recognized his face.

'Nephrite?' The person in question appeared angry at something, though Ami couldn't put a finger on what it was. She turned around and managed a small smile as she caught up with him.

"Hey!" She said, trying to get his attention.

"What do you want?" He asked, a little rudely. She shrugged it off, pretending his tone didn't bother her.

"You seem upset. I'm just checking to see if you're all right." He stared at her for a moment, taken aback by her words. He still wasn't used to being treated with such kindness and his temper usually got the better of him, but she was different. He cursed himself for being so rude to her just now.

"It's nothing." He told her. He didn't want to tell her the reason, but she looked at him as if she understood.

"Uh...would you like to get some breakfast with me?" She offered shyly, reaching her hand out to him.

"Huh?"

"There's a crepe shop up the street. Want to go? It's my treat."

"Sure." He took her hand and they walked to the shop. He had never eaten a crepe before, so Ami explained what it was, and much to his surprise, he found that he quite liked the flavor of them. He had ordered one with bananas, chocolate, and whipped cream, while hers was strawberries with whipped cream.

"T...th...thank you." he stuttered.

"No problem." Ami replied with a sweet smile. They shared their crepes with one another, then they walked to Crown as he had been on his way to work and was already late when they met up.

"Hey Motoki-kun. Sorry he's late."

"No harm done, Ami-chan." Motoki replied as he sprinkled some turtle food into Kamekichi's tank. Nephrite clocked in for the day and started his list of tasks that needed to be done.

Ami was about to go home and take a nap, but instead, she chose to stay and assist him. Motoki offered to pay her, but she politely declined, saying that just helping people was enough.

* * *

Usagi had been at the shrine for over two hours now and was enjoying her task of babysitting Akira. She had grown fond of the baby and he seemed to like her too, as his eyes brightened up when she played and interacted with him.

Rei was busy cleaning in preparation for the end of the year celebrations that would soon take place. Rei herself, however, wasn't really in the mood to celebrate, but she tried to remain cheerful when she had to tend to customers who had come to buy some charms. Usagi looked on as she and a very happy and energetic Akira played with wooden blocks near the doorway.

"Rei-chan, are you okay?" She said as she shot a concerned look.

"I'm fine." The miko lied. Truthfully, she felt like crap and wanted nothing more than to take a hot bath and go back to bed. She hadn't slept well in days, if not longer, and she was beginning to feel lightheaded, but she continued to work. She wasn't one to quit, even at the expense of her own health.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I'm fine." Rei replied, desperately trying to hide the slurring of her words. Her body betrayed her as the dizziness worsened and everything around her began to spin. Then, suddenly, everything went black.

"Rei-chan!" Usagi screamed as she rushed to her friend's side and checked her out. "Rei-chan, please! Stay with me, you hear me? Stay with me!" Akira seemed to sense the two women's distress and started to wail loudly as Usagi took out her phone and dialed a number. "Ami-chan, help!" she pleaded, her voice filled with panic.

"Usagi-chan, what's wrong?"

"Come quickly! It's Rei-chan. She collapsed."

"Call an ambulance and I'll meet you at the hospital." Ami instructed. Usagi did as she was told and the paramedics arrived within a few minutes. She watched helplessly and tried to console Akira as they took Rei's vital signs and carried her on a stretcher down the stairs to the ambulance. Usagi and Akira rode with her as they made the short ride to the hospital.

Ami met them in the Emergency Room entrance and a team of nurses raced into action as they took Rei into one of the rooms. Usagi tried to follow until the young Doctor put a hand up to stop her.

"Rei-chan's in good hands. Why don't you go get a snack and take Akira-chan to play with the toys in the waiting room and I'll let you know as soon as we're finished the examination."

"Okay."

* * *

Usagi sat and waited. It felt like time was passing so slowly and she wished she could be at Rei's side to support her instead of being in a boring waiting room with nothing to do except watching the baby play or reading the out of date magazines that lay in messy heaps all over the tables. Makoto and Minako were there now too, exchanging worried glances and discussing what could possibly have happened.

Minako leaned against a wall, tapping her feet nervously on the tile as the senshi waited for Ami to keep them updated. Finally, Ami emerged from the room and they ran up to her, panic and worry filling their eyes.

"How is she?" Makoto asked.

"She'll be fine." Ami reported. "She needs to stay in bed and rest a few days though."

"That's good. What's going on with her?" The idol inquired.

"She has mild anemia and a fever, but her test results were otherwise normal. Her body shut down, probably because she hasn't been sleeping or eating much and she's been under a tremendous amount of stress."

"Can we see her?" Usagi asked, pulling Akira into a hug.

"Sure, but keep in mind that she may not respond to you."

"We will. Thank you, Ami-chan."

"You're welcome." Minako breathed a sigh of relief, the girls went into the room and approached Rei's sleeping form. She lay on the bed, hooked up to an IV and the sound of beeping machines filled everyone's ears.

* * *

_Next chapter will be up soon. I was hoping to finish this and chapter 4 by Christmas, but at least I got this one done for now. Enjoy!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Rei no Himitsu**

* * *

Chapter 4

Minako sat in a chair near the head of Rei's hospital bed, gently holding the unconscious woman's hand as she watched over her. She never left her side, except when she needed to step out to use the toilet. It had been over twelve hours since Rei was admitted and she remained asleep, though Ami had informed everyone that she was getting better. Her fever was gone and her color, Minako observed, was returning to normal.

Minako listened intently as Rei mumbled some things in her sleep, tears falling down her cheeks and staining the pillows.

'She's having a bad dream.' she thought as she reached her fingers to Rei's face and gently wiped the tears away. Though she couldn't make out every word, she managed to decipher 'no', 'please', and the final word in particular sent her mind spinning. 'Sayuri? Who is that?' she wondered. She practically spaced out until someone else's voice calling her name brought her back to reality.

"Oh, Makoto! Sorry!" Minako stood up and bowed apologetically at the tall woman.

"It's okay. Here," Makoto began as she reached out and offered a hot drink. "I brought you some coffee." Minako looked at her and accepted the cup, smiling gratefully as she took a sip.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Has Rei woken up since Ami-chan last updated us?"

"She hasn't." Minako replied, stretching her limbs as she let out a soft yawn. She took another sip of her coffee. It tasted nothing like the freshly brewed stuff, but it was tolerable, considering that it was from one of the many coffee machines that lined the hospital's hallways, so she couldn't complain. She'd had worse, she told herself.

"You know, you should go home and rest. No offense, Minako, but you look like shit." Minako sighed. She knew her friend was right. Her hair was a hot mess to say the least and her make up had worn off hours ago.

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm staying right here, in case Rei wakes up. I don't think I'll be able to relax tonight." Makoto took a sympathetic look at the idol and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I understand how you feel. Hang in there."

"I'll try." Minako replied. "What about Akira-chan?"

"He's at my place with Motoki right now. We're all taking turns caring for him until Rei gets better. Even Luna and Artemis volunteered to help out." A grin formed on the idol's face as she imagined the two cat guardians looking after a baby Akira's age.

She thought back to when she was fourteen, and the day she went to Hikawa Shrine to see Artemis taking care of two kindergarteners whose parents had collapsed because of Metaria's evil powers. He was such a softy around small children and it warmed her heart.

"I'm glad. I hope he hasn't been too much trouble for you guys," she laughed.

"Nope, he's been great."

"Good."

"Well, I must get going." Makoto announced, adjusting the purse on her arm and getting ready to leave. "You take care of yourself, got it?"

"I will. You too!"

"Sure. See ya!" Makoto opened the door and waved goodbye. Minako sat there and finished the coffee, before she grabbed Rei's hand again and prayed aloud to Kami-sama that she woke up soon.

* * *

Usagi and Luna were at Usagi's mother's home, spending the night there, as Mamoru had to work the graveyard shift. Usagi disliked being home alone at night and her parents invited her over, which she had been glad to accept.

Tonight, however, neither she nor Luna, who was in her human form, could sleep. Usagi stared absently at her bedroom floor, agonizing over not being able to do anything more to help Rei.

"Usagi-chan," Luna said, patting her on the back lightly. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

"I know, but I still feel so guilty. Maybe if I had done something more, she wouldn't have gotten sick."

"Come on, it's not your fault. There's nothing you could have done to cause this. She was under a lot of stress and it just overwhelmed her." Usagi smiled weakly at the blue haired child.

"You're right, Luna." The Moon Princess seemed more like her cheerful self again and she and Luna stayed up for half the night, chatting about various things, ranging from food to love.

"Ah, I'm so tired. I can't believe it's this late." Usagi stated, glancing at her alarm clock, which read 'two nineteen.'

"Yeah, me too. Time for bed." Luna agreed with a yawn, transforming back into her cat form and curling up into a ball on the foot of Usagi's bed.

"Goodnight, Luna." Usagi climbed into bed herself and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Minako awoke, her body slumped over as her head rested on Rei's torso. She blushed a deep shade of red as she stood up and went to the bathroom to get herself washed up and dressed for the day. Her manager hadn't been too happy about her cancelling the recording session she was supposed to go to this afternoon, but once she explained that there was an emergency, without elaborating on it, his foul mood lessened and he told her she could reschedule, which she gladly agreed to.

Her stomach rumbled. She hadn't eaten since yesterday morning and the coffee she drank last night had long since left her system, so she walked out of the hospital to find something to satisfy her hunger.

She walked a few blocks, remembering that there was a Starbucks coffee shop there. She had bittersweet memories of this place. When she was sick and needed to come to the hospital for checkups and to receive treatment, she would stop afterward and order an iced coffee and a pastry. These were a good source of comfort for her and now that she was healthy, she continued to visit the shop whenever she was in the area.

"Welcome!" The clerk greeted. "What can I get for you today?"

"Good morning!" Minako went up to the counter and pulled some money from her purse. "I'd like a Venti caramel Frappuccino and a cinnamon roll, please." The clerk smiled politely at her as he took her order and went off to make the drink.

"That'll be eight hundred and thirty yen, please." She handed him a one thousand yen bill, then she thanked him as he gave her her food. "Thank you! Please come again," he said with a wave of his hand, and she waved back as she exited the shop.

* * *

Minako arrived back at the hospital and took the elevator up to Rei's floor. As she reached the room, she was surprised to see a certain someone inside.

'Senator Hino? What is he doing here?' She didn't want to intrude, so instead, she waited, pressing herself against the wall until he was gone, or at least that was her plan.

"I thought I saw someone out here." she heard him say as he walked toward her.

'Shit!' she mumbled under her breath. "Ah, don't worry about me. I don't want to interrupt your visit." she apologized, doing her best to mask the annoyed tone in her voice with fake politeness, but thankfully, he didn't notice.

"Don't worry about it. I was just on my way out. You must be a friend of Rei's, the famous Aino Minako, am I right?" Senator Hino guessed. He hadn't met Minako in person before, but he had seen her on TV and in newspapers, and heard her songs playing on the radio.

"Uh...yes, I am."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"You too." Minako stared at the floor uncomfortably for a minute and finally, she broke the silence. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I just wanted to visit my daughter. I heard from the head Priest at the shrine that she was brought here and I got concerned. She did look a little under the weather the last time I saw her." She glared at him sceptically. She believed his concern was genuine, but she was not entirely convinced that this was the only reason for his visit.

"She'll recover soon," she informed him.

"I'm glad. I've got to run. Please tell Rei I stopped by."

"Sure." Senator Hino turned to leave, then paused before he turned back around.

"One last question. What exactly is the nature of your relationship with my daughter? Do you love her?" Minako's blood was boiling.

'How dare he ask something so personal! The nerve of this guy...how does he even know about our friendship? It's not like Rei ever tells him anything.' she mused. "What are you insinuating?"

"I mean, are you in love with her?"

"I know what you meant!" she snapped. "We aren't like that. She's my best friend."

"I see." he replied, his face devoid of emotion as he turned around for the final time and walked away.

Minako went back into the room, still fuming as she removed the wrapper from her cinnamon roll.

* * *

_Sorry for the long wait, but I was busy during Christmas and New Year's, so not much time to write and I'm not feeling well on top of that, and of course writer's block kept getting in the way. Finally got this chapter finished though. Hope you like it!_

_Translations:_

_Kami-sama = God_


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